July 2008: Progress Update

Half the year has past I feel like I want to stray off my financial course. Being semi-responsible for a ‘long’ time is making want to take the money I sock away and just spend it. Has anybody else felt this way?

Let me first review my financial goals for this year:

• Income: The goal is $70,000 for the year as a family.
• Spending: I’m going to continue cutting back on eating out to twice a week, including weekends.
• Investing: I’ll continue to contribute to my Roth IRA.
• Saving: I will have $2,000 in my emergency fund by September 1, 2008. I would also like to put our income tax return into our house fund toward paying down the car loan.
• Debt: I would like to pay off my car loan by August 31, 2008.

Here’s how I’m doing with our financial goals:

• Income: Next week is my 90 day review, so I’m nervous and excited to see how that is coming along.
• Spending: We went on a long weekend to New York City and while I did over by a small amount, the monthly spending was in line. I need to really focus on not eating out. I find cheap eats, but the food is not healthy.
• Investing: I’m still investing in my Roth IRA. With the market the way it is now, I see the balance dipping on some funds, but not all. I’m trying not to give up on making my monthly contributions.
• Saving: It’s coming along and every week, the joint savings is growing little by little. My emergency fund is doing alright, but I may have to push back the goal date of September.
• Debt: I’m going to have to pay both a car payment and a student loan payment. I’m going to push hard on putting money on the car by snowflaking. Good news: the balance of the loan is now $2,300.

How is everyone else doing with their 2008 financial goals?

Photo Credit: ivanx

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